June 09, 2005
The polluter needs to pay
The Australians are leading the world in a voluntary switch away from plastic bags, but the results are clearly not enough.
According to figures from this year's Clean Up Australia campaign, retail sectors other than supermarkets have only reduced their plastic bag use by between 10 and 15 per cent over the past couple of years, and the number of plastic bags in the litter stream is rising rather than falling.
Figures showed that while major supermarkets had achieved a near 27 per cent reduction in the number of plastic bags issued in the past year, other stores had been slow to follow.
IBISWorld general manager Jason Baker said the problem was that in many cases the significant costs involved outweighed the benefits for the companies, despite what might be best for the environment as a whole.
"Until companies, and therefore consumers, are forced to pay the 'full cost' of producing polluting energy or other products - including paying for the cleaning up and avoidance of air and water pollution, or recycling and disposal services - they won't be encouraged to develop 'clean' alternatives, such as wind power or effluent-free farms," Mr Baker said.
In contrast consumption of plastic bags in Ireland dropped 90% within a year of imposing a 12 cent tax on plastic bags.
The problem is very serious and taxation appears to be the most productive way to go.
13:25 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Are men dumber, or just less secure?
Clean Up Australia says men are the weaker sex when it comes to saying "no" to plastic bags.
A national Newspoll conducted by the environmental organisation shows 50 per cent of women are likely to refuse a plastic bag, but just one-in-three men say 'no'.
A third of men surveyed say they prefer to use plastic bags over reusable bags, compared to just one-in-five women.
Everyone’s been telling me this for years. That we’re the dumber sex.
But could it be that we are just more insecure?
No woman’s feminine identity is threatened by being seen carrying a cloth bag for her groceries. Are men concerned that they’d look like wimps carrying a cloth bag? Most cloth shopping bags are designed to look like the kind of totes women carry.
A corporate client (a male) who regularly orders giveaway bags for the trade shows he attends on behalf of his company gave me some insight into this.
Most totes, he mentioned, look too feminine, and male visitors to trade shows feel awkward carrying them.
We worked with him to design a jute + cotton tote with longer handles that men could sling over their shoulders without getting this feeling.
He wrote in after the show telling us that the design was a big hit, and preferred by everyone (males particularly, but women included) to the bags other exhibitors were handing out.
It was particularly gratifying, he added, that most folks catching flights out after the show, had his bags slung over their shoulders at the airport also.
At Norquest, we work hard to find the most appropriate solution to our clients’ needs and enjoy putting in the effort to customize solutions for their needs. See the vast selection we have on show at http://badlani.com/bags and if you don’t see something that appeals, brief us and we’ll work towards creating a bag for your specific needs.
Sensitivity to such issues can go a long way in encouraging everyone to reduce plastic bag usage. Younger people would prefer backpacks. We have a great line of very economical backpacks too.
Who said all shopping bags need to be cut from the same cloth?
12:55 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
India: Great laws, poor enforcement
Our laws are some of the most progressive in the world, but enforcement is zilch.
We have strict laws against production, storage, use, sale and distribution of polythene bags.
Himachal Pradesh, a state that earns much of its revenues because of its scenic beauty, was the first to implement it. In theory.
In theory you can be fined upto a lakh of Rupees (US$ 2000) or be sent to jail for upto 7 years.
In practice, no one has ever paid that fine leave alone spend time in the cooler.
Most Indian citizens are completely unaware of the law and you see plastic bags flying around everywhere.
The Indian cow, considered sacred and an object of worship, is one of the worst victims. 95 per cent of urban India’s stray cattle are suffering from various ailments due to hazardous materials inside their abdomen. 90 per cent are plastic bags.
We ship reusable cotton bags every day of the week to the whole world from our website http://www.badlani.com/bags but we have no buyers in India.
10:01 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
June 02, 2005
Good corporate citizen image at such a low cost?
Sponsorship from Landmark Narromine, a real estate company is helping the Narromine Shire Council rid their community of plastic bags.
Narromine Shire Council is encouraging all residents to take advantage of the current 'Plastic Bag Swap Op' where calico bags are given free to residents when they bring in 20 plastic bags to the Narromine Council Chambers, Tomingley BP or the Trangie Library.
"There have been more than 16,000 bags bought in since the swap program started, which is a great result," Miss Cartwright said.
You know what that means in terms of sponsorship money? 16000 divided by 20 is 800 cotton bags. That would (or ought to) have cost them maybe $ 2 each.
Look at the image payoff. The sponsor looks like a very responsible corporate citizen and deservedly earns goodwill and trust.
Earning the gratitude of any entire city and all the attendant publicity that comes with it for under $ 2000? Ever heard of such a thing?
Those 800 bags will be taken out for shopping trips maybe 300 times each. That’s 2,40,000 eyeballs for such a small cost.
Much better bang for your corporate buck than sponsoring something gimmicky, wouldn’t you say?
Write to us today and we’ll work out a cost-effective program for your company. See the attractive and economical bags at http://www.badlani.com/bags
12:50 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Witches Knickers
Barbara Wallraff tells us in the The Atlantic Monthly that this is what the Irish call fugitive plastic bags that fly around and snag everywhere. Completely fitting.
Lee Buenaventura, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, felt nearly the same way, but she suggested giving the term a "tweak" to Americanize it: witches' britches.
Other interesting American terms: Urban Tumbleweed, Shoppers' Kites; Sheilah Zimpel, of Raleigh, North Carolina, wrote, "Here in the South we call that white trash."
A whole new lexicon is emerging to describe this blight. I’ll soon add some non-American terms that are being used.
What words would you use to describe things that are killing animals and marine life, poisoning your food, compromising the masculinity of unborn boys or being just plain ugly? All contributions welcome.
The reusable bags we offer at http://www.badlani.com/bags are attractive, affordable and a whole lot healthier for our planet and for our lives.
09:18 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 31, 2005
No wonder the Japanese succeed at everything
Clearly they are a more evolved society than most others. Elsewhere, governments are facing opposition from retailers when they propose a tax on plastic bags, but not in Japan.
Here, the Japan Chain Stores Association have themselves called for a law to enable stores to charge customers for plastic shopping bags.
The industry body said retailers have incurred growing costs for recycling plastic trays and other recyclable containers. It said if those costs continue to increase, some retailers might become unable to shoulder the burden and Japan's "recycling system might collapse."
What an admirable perspective. Smart guys, the Japanese. Look at how clean Japan is.
Bring in a tax on plastic bags and usage does drop. It fell 95% in Ireland.
Getting used to carrying reusable cloth bags is obviously something humans can adapt to fairly quickly.
For those who forget to carry it or want the luxury of not needing to carry it, a small tax makes sense. Before plastic bags started getting distributed free after the 70s, we managed didn’t we?
Reusable cloth bags are attractive and affordable as you can see at http://www.badlani.com/bags
12:02 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
90% of Hong Kong people support plastic bag tax
The Green Students Council in Hong Kong conducted a survey outside 25 supermarkets and found that 90% of the respondents supported a tax on plastic bags.
Hong Kong consumers use 6.7 billion plastic bags a year, or 1,294 plastic bags per person.
Taiwan and Ireland have sharply reduced the use plastic bags by imposing levies three years ago. The Taiwanese, who used to use 909 bags per head, have reduced consumption by 80%.
Ireland's consumers used one billion plastic bags annually, or 256 plastic bags a person, before a similar levy was introduced in March 2002. Since then Irish retailers have reported a 90 percent drop in the number of plastic bags used while the government raised 9.6 million euros (HK$94.57 million) in the first year of the levy.
Despite this, Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao said charging people HK$1 for each plastic bag is very complex and alternative proposals should be considered.
Sounds like the Indian government. Things that are simple for others become complex for us. But I’m surprised to hear this from Hong Kong.
Governments! 90% of the people say tax plastic bags and the government thinks it’s too complex. I ask you!
12:00 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 28, 2005
Plastics are a gender bender
The culprit is an ingredient in plastic goods called phthalates says a story in The Guardian.
They seep into your food from plastic packaging and get into your bloodstream.
Result: ‘Women with higher levels of four different phthalates were more likely to have baby boys with a range of conditions, from smaller penises and undescended testicles to a shorter perineum, the distance between the genitals and the anus,’ said the report.
"Every aspect of male identity is altered when you see this in male animals," the article quoted Fred vom Saal, professor of reproductive biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, as saying. Levels of aggression, parenting behaviour and even learning speeds were affected, he said.
The differences indicate a feminisation of the boys similar to that seen in animals exposed to the chemicals.
Ouch!
Switching to buying unpackaged food and carrying it home in our natural cotton bags seems like a smart thing to do, doesn’t it?
Reusable cotton bags are attractive and affordable, as you can see at http://www.badlani.com/bags
11:47 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 26, 2005
Turning junk into beauty while helping people
Used plastic bags can do immense harm if allowed to choke landfill or left free to be eaten by innocent animals and marine life.
But they can be used for good if used as a raw material. That’s what we decided to do. I spoke to my designer friends Prakash Vani and Himadri Ghosh and that is what we’ve been trying to do.
This little picture shows you the junk we started with, the very basic looms we worked with and some of the beautiful bags and textures we could create.
Feels really good to be able to take something awful and turn it into something so delightful.
Read the whole story at http://www.badlani.com/recycle
I realize that this is a modest achievement, but it is meaningful to us and I imagine even more so to the folks who can benefit from it. But I also see that it has immense potential for good.
I'd love your input on how we can take this forward from here. Please take a moment to share your thoughts with me. Ideally, I'd like to identify people and agencies who can assist in the process of bringing to market the products that emerge from this exercise.
All thoughts will be more than welcome. And if there is anything you can bring to the table, we'd love to work with you.
Write to me at rajiv @ badlani.com
10:08 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 25, 2005
How your city can become plastic bag free
Fitzroy Falls sets a fine example of how this can easily be done.
Some cities in Australia did this by having their local government invest in cloth bags and hand them out free to every citizen.
Some cities that thrive on tourism had citizens take a pledge to each buy and use cloth bags.
But Fitzroy Falls has followed what appears to be simplest path. They utilized the local retail network and citizens bought cloth bags from the retailers they do business with.
The local council imported cloth bags at a lower cost because they could place a larger order than any individual could.
Then they sold them to local retailers who are allowed to mark them up so that they can make some money on them and order more.
Deputy Mayor Nick Campbell-Jones said the declaration of Fitzroy Falls as a plastic bag-free town was an example for the rest of the shire to follow.
"This is the first locally-branded, re-useable shopping bag in the area and it goes some way towards the creation of a sustainable community," he said.
Local students were encouraged to come up with a design for the re-useable bags which would express an environmentally responsible message and also promote the Fitzroy Falls region.
"Early on we realised that the best way to proceed with the campaign was by consulting with the local community. We spoke to local businesses to establish what their issues of concern were as well as getting the kids involved in creating the design," Ms Katz said.
"The launch today shows that even small communities can make a stand against plastic bags and offer viable alternatives."
Diane Garwood stressed the environmental damage plastic bags do to the environment.
"Plastic bags have an enormous impact on the marine environment and are responsible for the deaths of 100,000 birds, seals or wild turtles every year," she said.
Would you like your community to be plastic bag free? Write today to Rajiv@badlani.com and I’ll be happy to work out a specific plan for your community.
You can select from the vast variety we have at www.badlani.com/bags and we’ll be happy to print your community’s message on them for you.
08:11 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 21, 2005
Roads from plastic waste. Great idea!
What a great idea!
R Vasudevan, Head of the Department of Chemistry, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai has pioneered a way to use a mix of shredded plastic waste in making roads.
It’s mixed in with the “metal” used to make the road and assists in binding it better, making it capable of withstanding heavy rains, reducing the amount to bitumen required. The development team believes it also offers better road grip than rubberized roads.
Sounds seriously win-win to me.
Much better than the blind eye all the authorities in India have been turning to the huge plastic waste problem we have here.
Here’s a picture of these folks standing on their road. The lady’s the head of the college.
admire people who try to do something about the problems they see.
I’ve been working with my friends, Prakash Vani and Himadri Ghosh to see if we can also do our bit, and we’ve succeeded in making some viable looking products from plastic waste using handlooms and devices that do not require any more energy input and can be made at home by even the poorest of the poor.
I’ll have a story and a webpage about that effort up very shortly.
11:49 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Here it is - the jute supermarket bag
It’s a good looking bag, isn’t it? We call it the Jute #B06.
Attractive, economical and capable of saving the world from the waste of as many as 1000 plastic bags, this bag is a hero!
Packing and shipping costs are being worked out even as I write this, and we hope to have this lovely bag up on our website very soon.
08:00 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 20, 2005
Japan addresses plastic bags waste issue
The Daily Yomiuri today reported that Japan’s Environment Ministry has decided to forbid retailers to hand out free bags.
The ministry hopes to submit a bill to revise the law in the ordinary Diet session next year.
Wise. The Japanese throw away 30 billion plastic bags annually.
As one of the cleanest, most well-kept societies in the world, the Japanese have a deep stake in keeping their environment safe from the havoc that plastic bags wreak on the world.
The National Association of Super Markets expressed some sympathy for the idea saying in a statement, "We can reduce free handouts of plastic bags by charging the shoppers, which would cut the cost at supermarkets." However, it also expressed concern over receiving complaints from shoppers and expected a decline in sales.
The success of Australian communities in reducing plastic bags waste might assuage their worries. The Japanese are an aware society. Just a couple of activists can probably translate a rule into a personal mission for individuals.
Like Ben Kearney did in Coles Bay, Australia. Coles Bay saved their town from more than 300000 plastic bags by introducing an attractive and practical alternative. On our website, we call it the # B06.
It’s made from nonwoven polypropylene. Not in itself an ecological material, but reusable, and well designed.
At Norquest, we’ve now developed a version from laminated jute. Acting from the belief that most humans prefer the textures of nature. If you’re going to use a reusable shopping bag we might as well design one that looks and feels good to you. The jute version is an absolute delight. We'll have a picture up very soon.
We have lots and lots of attractive and economical options on show at http://www.badlani.com/bags and we hope we’ll get more Japanese folks looking at them now.
Well done, Japan! Way to go!
08:05 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 06, 2005
US businesses bought $ 16.9 billion worth of promo products in 2004
2005 looks even better, suggests an ASIC survey. ASIC stands for the Advertising Specialty Institute.
“Companies are looking for new, more effective ways to spend their marketing budgets, as many are discovering that advertising on satellite radio, TiVo television or the Internet is not as effective as it once was” says Greg Muzzillo, founder and Co-CEO of Proforma, said to be one of the top 10 promo product distributors.
I’m convinced this is part of a worldwide trend that is leading away from broadcasting marketing messages through mass media to customized messages being narrowcasted to specific customers.
The customization potential of promotional products makes them especially appealing as does their topicality and association with events.
The Promotional Products Association published an article in December 2004 saying bags are a wonderful promo choice.
Why? Because everybody uses them.
Since everyone has stuff to hold, there’s not one person who doesn’t have a bag of some sort. Promotionally speaking, there’s an inherent use value for the recipient, and this means, for the advertiser, there’s the frequent opportunity for seeing the company logo.
They are an extension of the person, and different styles may fit one person but not another. I completely agree. In today’s world one-size-fits-all just doesn’t cut it. That’s why, at Norquest, we encourage our customers to customize what they are ordering.
No fixed notions, no minimums, we don’t put any limits on our customers’ imaginations. It’s our job to make whatever they dream up and we enjoy it.
Bags work. Everyone loves receiving an attractive bag. And we’ve got plenty. See the variety at http://www.badlani.com/bags You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how economically they are priced.
Good looking, economical, and something that everybody wants. Isn’t that how you’d like your next promotion to be?
08:15 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
May 05, 2005
Internal Branding
Too many discussions on branding focus on projecting a brand to external audiences. To the extent that branding gets considered as being synonymous with advertising.
I disagree. I think the place a branding exercise starts from is within the organisation. It is only when an organisation is in total internal agreement on the subject of “who we are and how we behave” that it is actually equipped to deliver a consistent branding message to the external world.
One of the most effective ways to make this happen is to conduct role-playing exercises on how the folks within the organisation would like to be treated by the suppliers they do business with.
At some level each one of us a buyer of goods and services, and we have no difficulty in differentiating between who gives us great service and who doesn’t.
Human beings have a wonderful characteristic. We all know what we like and what we don’t. Stands to reason that if an experience doesn’t appeal to us, it wouldn’t appeal to our customers either.
It isn’t difficult, then, to take this into a discussion of where we could improve our service standards.
This is a simple exercise, doesn’t cost anything at all, and helps bind the organisation into one that is on the same wave-length where service and quality are concerned.
It works. Try us out for your next requirement of bags and see how we measure up. If we don’t exceed your highest expectations, please tell us so. We’ll listen and we’ll learn every time. And you’ll have an even more pleasing supplier.
A look at www.badlani.com/bags/customers.htm will tell you that our efforts have met with some success, but we believe we have a lot more to achieve.
To all the customers who’ve said kind things to us. Thank you. Your appreciation matters a lot to us; it helps to keep us striving. But, please don’t pull your punches. If we do anything at all that doesn’t please you, please tell us!
We also use this to learn how to deal with the folks who we buy from. We don’t like being treated in some ways, and those guys are every bit as human as we are.
10:22 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
April 28, 2005
Would you have a bag manufacturer make a tent for you?
Winning a customer’s trust is what makes it happen for us.
Clearly, the folks who run the Bahrain Exhibition Center were happy with the bags we’ve been doing for them so when they had a need for a colossal “tent” for a major event, they chose to discuss it with us.
From fabric selection to fireproofing to fabrication, we enjoyed the challenge of working on something new for us. Finding ways to communicate all the zillions of variables with our customers was also an exercise that gave us learning and joy. We had a few anxious moments, but Sanjiv manages to make the most challenging manufacturing issues look simple and do-able.
But the real joy came when they told us they were thrilled with the result and sent us a link to their event website www.asiaitsummit2005.com
Thank you Cheryl and Klaus from all of us at Norquest. Thank you for your confidence in our abilities.
Got a challenge for us, anyone? We will enjoy working with you.
12:39 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Will people PAY YOU to carry YOUR advertisement?
This isn’t some ad man’s wild pipe dream. Read this amazing true story at http://www.poconorecord.com/lifestyl/alh97889.htm
Columnist Martin Sloane contributed a story encouraging people to switch to reusable cloth bags, and here is what reader Louise Fail wrote in:
Dear Martin: At our local 99-cent store they sell a lovely, large reusable tote bag. Of course it carries some advertising, but I really do not mind! I bought four of them. One is for trips to the library. The other three reside in my car so I have them when I go to the grocery stores. I feel I am doing my share to preserve the environment and conserve the oil that is used to make plastic bags --- Louise Fail
People don’t much care to hear alarmist talk about environmental degradation, but the story is inexorably going home.
They don’t like being passive victims of this sweeping phenomenon either. Most want to do something positive.
You could cash in on this huge groundswell of feeling to get your message across in a manner that your stakeholders are actually willing to invest in.
The big boys haven’t caught on to this yet. This remains an opportunity for the nimble and the imaginative.
Dramatic isn’t it? Louise paid 99 cents to become a walking billboard for the brand whose name is on that bag. She doesn’t mind that it carries advertising. Ever heard of such a thing?
All you smart marketing folks out there might want to leverage this insight.
We can ship you smart, great looking cotton totes at less than a dollar a bag, with your ad message on them.
Sell them at cost or even a little below cost to make them look even more attractive. Make them available at as many outlets as you can. You’ll be amazed to see how many people support your environmentally friendly action.
Sounds good? See http://www.badlani.com/bags and select from a line of attractive bags you can use to co-opt your customers into becoming walking billboards for your message. At no cost to you!
12:35 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Washington DC shops to charge 31 cents for plastic bags?
I just read an article in The Decatur Daily which is published in Alabama, where Vickie Brooks, front-end manager for a store called Kroger says that stores in Washington, DC are charging customers 31 cents per plastic bag.
This came as news to me. Searching for this only led back to this one story. I hope this is true. Reusable cloth bags will begin to look truly viable to shoppers in DC and clean up that city’s environment in no time.
A 12 cent tax reduced plastic bag usage by 95% in Ireland. Clearly taxation works.
Vickie herself has used cloth bags for years when she buys groceries because she sees how many plastic bags the store uses daily.
The Wall Street Journal says the United States consumes 100 billion plastic bags annually, requiring about 12 million barrels of oil to produce. And plastic bags, which look like food to marine animals, cause more than 100,000 marine animal deaths per year.
Plastic bags are not biodegradable, but rather, photodegradable. They break down in sunlight into smaller toxic bits, contaminating soil and waterways. This affects us very directly. A shocking statistic says all adult Americans now urinate plastics.
Brooks said it might not be long before every community will follow a growing trend in larger cities that charge customers for plastic bags.
Most Americans assume reusable cloth bags are expensive. Visitors to http://www.badlani.com/bags are pleasantly surprised to discover how inexpensive they are.
12:31 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
What’s a cotton tote got to do with branding?
B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore discussed the power of transforming ordinary transactions into experiential events in their book, “The Experience Economy.” “It’s not about entertaining customers, it’s about engaging them,” they wrote.
Kevin Roberts, CEO at Saatchi & Saatchi, recently built on Pine and Gilmore’s theory of customer engagement in “Lovemarks, The Future Beyond Brands,” his new book.
Successful direct marketers are in the experience business; they court their customers in intriguing ways, fueling their passion for meaningful experiences. It’s more than a win-win. It’s a way of life for these companies and their customers.
In an earlier story on this blog, I wrote about how Patagonia and Body Shop are two mega brands that have internalized people’s ecological concerns into their strategy and have won a huge and loyal following. These two brands can comfortably call themselves Lovemarks.
Their customers feel good about selecting their products over others, trusting these brands to have followed the most ethical and ecological route to making the products they proudly use and associate themselves with
Giving away a cotton shopping tote with your logo on it shows people that you are aware of the problems being caused by plastic bags and are doing something positive about it. When they re-use these bags, they do so proudly, displaying your brand’s and their own concerns. What a testimonial, and at such a small price!
If you don’t know how economical it can be for you to give away cotton shopping totes, give yourself a pleasant surprise at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
12:28 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Pretty up a tote bag and win yourself a prize!
Martin Sloane of The Birmingham News got a tremendous response to his article on switching to reusable bags. So great, that he’s decided to kick off a contest. To enter you have to decorate a reusable bag (no paper or plastic, folks) and send clear picture of it to Martin at the Birmingham News or email it to him at site4savings@hotmail.com
The winner gets $ 100, the second prize is $ 50 and third prize is $ 25. Kids are encouraged to enter, and the winning photos get featured at Martin’s website www.martinsloane.com
Great going Martin! Keep this up and you’re going to do a lot of good to our planet!
Reusable fabric bags are a practical and simple solution to a problem of mounting proportions. They are attractive and affordable as you can see at http://www.badlani.com/bags
This is Chloe, a talented graphic designer who ordered bags from us with one of her beautiful designs. Makes us proud to be associated with folks like her.
12:14 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Psychostrategy for your next trade show
When you’re headed for your next trade show or conference or event, consider reusable fabric bags as your giveaway. Visitors love receiving them because it facilitates carrying all the literature they collect.
The fact that folks will carry them around the show displaying your logo and plugging your presence is only the immediate benefit. Much after the show is over, they will still be using them (no one throws them away) and literally become a walking billboard for you.
But there’s more. People are becoming increasingly aware of the harm that plastic bags do and when your logo is seen on an eco-friendly substitute for plastic bags, your brand gets positioned in their mindspace as one of the “good guys”.
This follows from a very basic logic. People don’t want to be bombarded with your marketing message. They prefer to unravel a subtle message themselves.
If this contradicts what some marketing bozos have told you, check out the logic on yourself.
When someone is telling you a joke and you can figure the punchline even before he completes his story, that joke doesn’t break you apart and, chances are you don’t remember that story.
But when someone tells you a joke and it takes you a few seconds to figure out what was funny about it, when you start laughing, you can’t stop. And, you tend to remember that story, right?
A marketing professor once explained this phenomenon to me. When you don’t immediately “get it” it challenges and engages your mind. That brief engagement is what makes some things memorable and others get forgotten fast.
Get it?
These quiet little bags are amazingly attractive and economical. You will not believe how affordable they are so come check them out on the bags home page at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
12:05 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Forgive the plugs, they’re for a good cause!
Alex Steffan, who writes a brilliant blog at http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/002465.html noticed my blog and wrote
“I love obsessive geekery for a good cause, and I believe I have stumble upon the Ur-site, the Platonic example of the form: the Badlani blog which focuses, essentially entirely, on news about the ongoing global efforts to reduce our use of plastic bags. Yes, that's right: it's an anti-plastic bag blog. Pretty good one, too, full of interesting little tidbits like San Francisco's implementation of a 17-cents-a-bag bag tax (jargon watch for the day: tax on plastic bags = "plastax").”
But he wasn’t entirely thrilled as he adds “(The only bummer with Badlani is the authors' relentless hawking of their own cotton bags. We get it, they sell bags. So do others, like Reusablebag.com's Vincent Cobb. No need to remind us every post.).
I take his point. Repetitive and relentless promotion can become tedious, but I feel virtuous doing it because
Higher listings = more vistors = more fabric bags sold = less plastic bags plaguing our world.
So, folks, bear with the plugs if you will, and in fact, spread the word if you agree!
But I did need reminding of that, so thanks, Alex! Please note the absence of a plug in this blog.
11:54 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Don't waste! Australia shows the way
Australia’s Northern daily just published an article about how local councils have contributed huge sums of money for calico bags to be distributed free to residents.
The 13 participating councils are Armidale Dumaresq, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Guyra, Gwydir, Inverell, Liverpool Plains, Moree, Narrabri, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Uralla and Walcha.
Vanessa Tiernan, project co-ordinator for the Northern Inland Regional Waste Group, said yesterday each of the group's 13 constituent councils had contributed a collective $65,000 to buy 86,000 "Don't Waste" bags.
They would all carry the same "Don't Waste" message, but there would be one difference from council area to council area. In Tamworth, the bags would carry the message "Don't Waste Tamworth", whereas in the other areas, the message would be "Don't Waste Glen Innes" or "Don't Waste Inverell".
Sensible. Where plastic bags are usually used just once or a few times before being discarded, the calico bags are so durable they can be used for months and even years.
Calico bags are attractive and economical as you can see at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
11:50 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
No such thing as a free plastic or paper bag
Karama Neil, a lovely lady from Little Rock, Arkansas, wrote a blog about the harm plastic bags are doing and mentioned my blog as being a good reference source. Thank you, Karama. It’s nice to be acknowledged, particularly by a person as accomplished as you.
Karama's weblog is at http://sowhatcanido.blogspot.com/2005/04/say-no-to-plastic-grocery-bags.html What a great concept “So what can I do?”
I disagree about paper bags, though. Cutting down a tree that takes years to grow, lugging it to sawmills and then to paper mills that consume huge amounts of electricity and water to produce a paper bag which gets used once and thrown away is also wasteful.
Using anything once and throwing it away is wasteful. Fabric bags get reused hundreds of times and make so much more sense.
But plastic and paper are cheaper, some will say. They aren’t, actually. The shops that give these to you “free” are actually paying for them and charging you an invisible premium for them. Even if they cost as little as 4 cents, over 300 uses that is $ 12.00. Our fabric bags start as low as 60 cents, and they can be reused used more than 300 times. Do the math!
Fabric bags are the real answer to saving our planet from the blight of plastic refuse. See how attractive and economical they are at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
11:45 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Plastic bags are not free
Mary O'Keefe from Pompano Beach just wrote an article in the Sun-Sentinel in which she mentioned how she initially though California’s proposed 17 cent tax on plastic bags was ridiculous and a burden on the consumer. But she quickly changed her mind. Here’s what she says.
“Then I went to my local grocery store and again came home with numerous plastic bags. Several bundles had two and three bags for one item that was not breakable nor particularly heavy,”
“I have changed my position. The one dismissed value of this proposal was the awareness of what we waste. Even though our behavior -- not the plastic bags -- is the problem, it would inspire awareness and conservation. We apparently need constant reminders or reprimands. Other countries that have implemented such a program report great success”
You’re so right, Mary. Plastic bag consumption fell 90% in Ireland after they imposed a tax on plastic bags.
People who believe plastic bags are being given free just aren't aware of the facts. They cost you money, and more than you think.
So, it’s not really a burden either. The consumer is already paying this 17 cent cost in the form of city and municipal taxes. The 17 cent figure was worked out based on how much it costs communities to cope with the mess plastic bags create.
Add to this the fact that retailers who appear to give them away free are actually buying them and building the cost into the products they sell you. Most will be happy to offer you’re a discount if you bring your own bag.
Reusable fabric bags are an attractive and surprisingly economical alternative and very, very practical.
Most American have the impression that fabric bags are expensive. They aren’t. See how affordable they are at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
11:40 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Reusable bags WILL catch on!
Martin Sloan, writing in The Birmingham News, has just written a great piece “Reusable Bags could catch on”.
One look at this picture and you can see why they have to catch on!
He quotes folks who have appreciated the need to use reusable fabric bags instead of choking our world with plastic bags.
More power to you, Martin. Folks like you will save our planet, despite the myopia that most of the world still demonstrates.
See how attractive and economical reusable fabric bags can be at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
10:48 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Welsh take note of Ireland’s plastic bag tax’s success
A story in the Daily Post reported The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is renewing its demands for government action after an increase in plastic-based litter on beaches in Wales during its annual Beachwatch survey.
Andrea Crump, MCS's litter projects co-ordinator, said a tax on plastic bags in Ireland reduced waste by 90%.
"Plastics such as nets and bags are known to entangle marine animals, which can drown as a result, she added, "bags and small plastic pieces can also be swallowed by marine animals, such as turtles and whales, which may then starve as a result."
People easily adjust to doing without throw-away plastic bags. Reusable fabric bags are attractive and economical options.
See how attractive and economical at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
10:43 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
See what plastic bags do to your countryside
Kathryn B. Brown, a family health nursing professional, points out in the East Oregonian that using plastic bags and drinking bottled water isn’t good for people.
“All this unnecessary plastic in our world is unhealthy for people and the environment” she says, contrasting her own environment with what she observed in countries that are taxing plastic bags, “the difference was the lack of plastic trash” Those countries don't see this kind of sight any longer.
I'm sure Kathryn would approve of the attractive and economical shopping bags we offer at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
Read the whole story here More...
10:39 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
How to save a billion plastic bags from choking our planet
This little polypropylene bag is an absolute wonder. It has cut plastic bag usage in Australia by 1.18 billion plastic bags. That’s a lot of bags. The Australian carried an article about this in their issue of March 12th.
Trends, says futurist John Naisbitt, are like horses, easier to ride in the direction they are going.
Catch a trend early and you can use it to your advantage. And ecological concerns, especially about the harm plastic bags are doing to our environment, is one that is going is going to get a huge amount of public attention, particularly in the US.
Considering we can deliver these to you at less than 75 cents, our #B06 bag is a great vehicle for you to use as a brand building device for your company.
See these and some other great promotional items at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
10:36 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Plastic bags are killing marine life. Colliers County catches on.
I just read a story by Eric Staats in the Naples Daily News about how the Colliers County tourism promotion guys had to give up their plans to give away plastic bags to tourists for shell collection when the county environment experts intervened. Nancy Payton, field representative for the Florida Wildlife Federation praised the decision to pull the bags off the beach.
Like most folks in the US they appear not to be aware that for just a little more than the plastic bags were costing them, they could have imported re-usable fabric bags from us. Attractive totes like the one you see in the picture, which would have been carried home by tourists, who would have become walking billboards for the Colliers County tourism message every time they re-used the bags.
I’m sure if they’d known how attractive and economical our bags are; see them at http://www.badlani.com/bags; they’d have opted for them. I’m just sending a mail to Eric Staats hoping he will pass on the message.
10:32 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Rhode Island realises plastic bags disposal cost
Daniel H. Trafford is the managing editor of the Kent County Daily Times and he’s written a article on a $250,000 advertising campaign to be launched to combat the problem of plastic bags blowing in the wind. It seems that their community spends about $1 million annually just picking up these bags that blow all over the place from trash being delivered to the Central Landfill.
It’s nice that they’re catching on. It would be even nicer if they followed the lead of places like Coles Bay in Australia.
He’s also mentioned how he, as a kid working in a store, encountered how some people make a hoax of recycling. He’s one of the few that had the guts to object and it appears that his action led others to object too. Click on more to read the full article.
I just wrote Daniel a mail hoping he will ask his community to look at the attractive options that exist at www.badlani.com/bags/
More...
10:26 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Ecological Economics.
My compliments to Arrissia Owen Turner for the well written article titled "Paper, plastic and pocketbook-could bag charge hit Big Bear?"
Her article appears here http://www.bigbeargrizzly.net/
In her article she's said "For, say, a family of four who buys maybe 14 bags worth of groceries during a weekly trip to the grocery store, that would be an additional $2.38. If half of those bags get double bagged, that would be $3.57. Plenty of penny-pinchers aren't pleased. If instead they were to buy eight canvas bags at $4.99 each (canvas bags hold more groceries than plastic or paper bags and the bottom never falls out), the family would save money within 11 trips to the store."
Here are some facts that make fabric bags even more attractive.
From the shop owner’s point of view they are much, much cheaper than giving away plastic bags, because fabric bags get reused as many as 500 times and display his name and logo every time they get re-used and become a walking billboard for him.
If a few Big Bear store owners got together and imported fabric bags from us in India, they would cost them just 99 cents, not the $ 4.99 price you might expect. With customized names and logos attractively printed for each store, even if they are ordering just a few hundred bags each.
I mean this quite seriously. See how attractive and economical fabric bags can be at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
Californians are leading the way. This is the only way the world will survive. Our planet cannot sustain the present levels of dumping of a million plastic bags a minute.
More...
09:19 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Australia values its ecology more than most countries
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation today announced that a man named Australia's local hero for 2005, is a baker from the island state of Tasmania.
Ben Kearney, 32, of Coles Bay, was nominated for the award by community members, for his efforts in ridding the tourist resort of plastic bags.
The town has since become a model for community-based environmental campaigners throughout Australia.
Mr Kearney accepted his award during Australia Day festivities in Canberra, and says he will share it with Coles Bay residents.
"They've supported me from day one with this idea and have been really enthusiastic and have worked as hard as I've worked to make it the success that it is," he said.
"So, I really consider this award to be really about the community."
The Australians are achieving great things without even taxing plastic bags, through positive action. Makes so much sense. Environmentally friendlier bags are attractive and affordable. See how attractive and affordable at http://www.badlani.com/bags/
09:09 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
San Fransisco sees the light
CBS News today carried a story saying that San Francisco officials believe that the city spends 5.2 cents per bag annually for street litter pickup and 1.4 cents per bag for extra recycling costs.
San Francisco may become the first city in the United States to charge shoppers for grocery bags.
The city's environmental commission is expected to ask the mayor and board of supervisors Tuesday to consider a 17 cent per bag charge on paper and plastic grocery bags.
Their goal is to reduce plastic bag pollution.
Plastic bags jam machinery, pollute waterways and often end up in trees. They are also ingested by wild life and cause them to suffer even as they die premature deaths.
Officials believe that the city spends 5.2 cents per bag annually for street litter pickup and 1.4 cents per bag for extra recycling costs.
Grocers and bag manufacturers argue that many people already reuse their plastic bags. But you know and I know that this is not true. How many times have you reused a plastic bag? Maybe once in a blue moon.
Other interested opponents call the plan an unfair and regressive tax on shoppers.
I’m sure you will agree that this argument is facile. Far better, more attractive options exist in the form of reusable fabric bags. See the fantastic range available at http://www.badlani.com/bags/ and then click on various styles to be pleasantly surprised at how economical they are.
Considering that each of our bags gets reused between 100 and 500 times, they are much, much cheaper than plastic or paper bags.
08:55 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Thank you, Winston Churchill, Thank you Hansard Society!
Winston Churchill founded The Hansard Society in 1944 to ensure that government remained truly representative of the peoples’ wishes. Today it sees weblogs as a powerful medium for the expression of these wishes and encourages parliamentarians in England to become familiar and recognize this medium as the basis of e-governance.
At their site http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/programmes/e-democracy/b... they’ve listed 9 weblogs as commanding “respect in the ‘blogosphere’”. One of these is this blog, the one you are reading at this very moment!
Feels good, to have someone say nice things about us. Thank you, Hansard Society!
Also feels good to have the message acknowledged that plastic bags are a menace, that this issue is one of substantial consequence and that far better alternatives are available in the form of reusable bags (see them at http://www.badlani.com/bags/shoppingbags.htm)
08:46 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
PPP – The Polluter Pays Principle
Malta today imposed a tax on plastic bags. Smart guys. They have one of the most beautiful environments in the world and they intend to keep it that way.
Amazing how the little countries catch on fast.
God was so kind to the US in so many ways, but their government doesn’t seem to have caught on to such a simple logic. Plastic bags are bad for your environment. Taxing them reduces usage sharply. So, instead of raising taxes and making everyone pay for cleaning up that problem, why not focus the tax on the folks who are making the mess?
Ireland introduced a tax and plastic bag usage fell by 90%. How many times… asked Bob Dylan...
The answer this time is visibly blowing in the wind! Everywhere you look. Used plastic bags littering every tree, every bush, every fence!
Stupid, when attractive reusable bags are so economical. See how attractive and how economical our shopping bags are at http://www.badlani.com/bags/shoppingbags.htm
08:40 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
You too can be admired like Patagonia and Body Shop are
Patagonia and Body Shop are just two of the New Age brands that have built their appeal on EcoLogic; meaning a deep and sincere respect for the environment.
You don’t need mega bucks to earn that kind of respect. As long as you are sincere and act on your beliefs. Saying so across a million ugly hoardings will achieve less than one customer walking out of your store carrying a reusable cloth bag with your logo on it. Every consumer who looks ate it will know that you act on what you believe.
This is what Patagonia says: Our company mission statement: "Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis", gives us purpose and urgency.
You can make the same statement when you hand out cloth bags. And for less than you think.
See what we have to offer at http://www.badlani.com/bags/ and then write to me if you’d like to plan a strategy based on good sense. I respect folks who want to achieve miracles on tight budgets, and I enjoy working with them rajiv@badlani.com
08:37 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Coles bay shows the way!
Some people are succeeding in doing completely without plastic bags. The Mercury, an Australian daily tells of how the tourist town of Coles Bay celebrated their first plastic bag free anniversary! Here's what the story said:
President of Coles Bay/Freycinet Tourism Association and bakery owner Ben Kearney said an estimated 350,000 plastic bags had been saved from the environment or landfill.
You've got to hand it to these guys. The Australians are achieving a lot even without the tax. On a voluntary basis they seem to be moving people towards using cloth bags instead.
Sadly most of the world still thinks cloth bags are expensive. They aren't. See how affordable they are in my bags section http://www.badlani.com/bags/, and then take a moment to do some calculations.
Imagine if a savvy company sponsored the reusable cotton bags that got used instead. One of these is used instead of almost 500 plastic bags. So, sponsoring 7000 cotton bags would have made them the hero of this story. 7000 cotton bags would have cost less than $ 5000. Try and equate the goodwill earned with spending $ 5000 on advertising. The two just don't match.
This is a huge branding opportunity.
Read the rest of the story here
More...
08:32 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
EcoLogical behaviour makes good business sense...
Cherri Gann, associate editor at PPAI wrote an article in December 2004 where she concluded that bags are a wonderful promo choice.
“One great thing about bags is that everybody uses them,” says Andrew Spellman, vice president of corporate markets for TRG Group in St. Louis, Missouri. “Since everyone has stuff to hold, there’s not one person who doesn’t have a bag of some sort. Promotionally speaking, there’s an inherent use value for the recipient, and this means, for the advertiser, there’s the frequent opportunity for seeing the company logo.”
Carol Goebelt, in LaPuente, California, adds they go beyond function: “Besides suiting the need for function, people buy bags for style. They are an extension of the person, and different styles may fit one person but not another.
I completely agree. In today’s world one-size-fits-all just doesn’t cut it. That’s why, at Norquest, we encourage our customers to customize what they are ordering. No fixed notions, no minimums, we don’t put any limits on our customers’ imaginations. It’s our job to make whatever they dream up and we enjoy it.
What goes into choosing a great bag? “Find out exactly who the audience is,” says Mary Jo Welch. “Men are not tote bag people and will use them only when necessary whereas women love them. If kids are involved, a drawstring backpack might do the best job of covering all the bases.”
Ahh, that I disagree with. When we're told the audience is male, we design totes that appeal to males. But that, as they say, is another blog. Coming soon...
Bags do work. Everyone loves receiving an attractive bag. And we’ve got plenty. See the variety at http://www.badlani.com/bags/ And then do remember to see the product pages and see how economically they are priced.
Good looking, economical, and something that everybody wants. Isn’t that how you’d like your next promotion to be?
08:28 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Welcome to the world PLENTY magazine
Here’s a completely new genre of magazines. Not restricting itself to the folks who give ecological living a dowdy image, these guys are telling you that a sustainable lifestyle needn’t be boring or lacking pizzazz.
In fact, it’s a whole new aesthetic.
Their website is http://www.plentymag.com
In a well written story about the launch of this magazine, James Gorman of the New York Times says “Her name is Abigail. She comes from Ford Models in New York. And her outfit is accessorized with a hose from a gasoline pump that she has covered with her hand as if it were a tempting, but forbidden, pleasure.”
I love it. Good sense going stylish, ecological concerns being taken mainstream.
Hats off to the guys who thought this concept up. I hope they are a huge success and lots of folks follow their lead.
I completely agree. I suspect if the world just saw how attractive and economical our cotton and jute bags are many would swear off plastic and carry them for the sheer pleasure of using a great looking product. http://www.badlani.com/bags/
Read the full story here
More...
08:24 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
April 27, 2005
Papua New Guinea leads by example
I’m sure the words Papua New Guinea don’t immediately bring a picture of progressive governance to your mind (probably conjures up exotic images of tribals and beaches) but don’t underestimate them - just look at this major step they’ve taken.
The Papua New Guinea government has ordered a ban on plastic shopping bags in a bid to curb a major littering problem across the country.
To give them credit, many Indian state governments have also banned plastic bags, but when you look around you, it appears that no one has heard of this ban.
They’re being distributed like they’re going out of style and factories are churning them out by the millions.
Sad. We also happen to be the world’s largest exporter of cotton and jute bags. These attractive and economical bags are saving the world from being choked by plastic but not being used here where the damage is as much. To see just how attractive and econimical they can be see http://www.badlani.com/bags/
Read the rest of the story here More...
09:54 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
360 degree branding
Shelley Lazarus, the head of Ogilvy, talks about 360 degree branding here http://www.ogilvy.com/360/ . Take the time to visit. It’s well worth it. Even if you’re not in marketing. In fact, it is more relevant to the heads of companies than to marketing people.
The concept is simple and powerful.
Your brand (and this includes corporate brands), must be relevant to your customer; must stand for something that she or he values; something he considers meaningful.
Then, all your communication; ALL of it, must consistently reflect exactly those values. Not just in what you say, but also in what you DO.
Because you have no control over what your stakeholders’ opinion of your brand is. That is something they determine themselves. And they don’t go only by claims. A brand is what a brand does.
Quite obviously, if what you say is contradicted by what you do, your credibility suffers.
And if they can’t trust you, you’re dead in the water. You might as well close shop and go home.
You can say you are gorgeous, but must you say it on an eyesore of a hoarding?
Behaving this way doesn't make sense and companies aren't getting away with it as easily as they used.
Except for those rare companies that have a monopoly product. Which, in today’s day and age, is not an easy thing to achieve. 360 degree branding is a far easier and more logical alternative. People want to deal with people they trust.
So, make sure that all the behaviour of your company reflects what you want it to say.
Most of the time it breaks down at the last mile. One junior guy doing something that contradicts the reputation you’ve spent millions of dollars and years to build.
Like putting your logo on a plastic bag for instance, and making a statement on your behalf that says: “We know that use-once-and-throw is irresponsible behaviour, particularly when using a material that will take 3000 years to biodegrade and will leave huge problems for future generations, but because using plastic is cheaper than reusable cloth bags, we’re going to be irresponsible anyway. We don’t think you’re smart enough to figure all this out and who cares what you think anyway”
Ouch! If you’re the head of a company that sets serious store by your brand values this probably made you wince.
There are better and very affordable alternatives available at www.badlani.com/bags
Cloth bags get reused as many as 500 times and putting your logo on one is a great way to express your brand values. Write to me at rajiv at badlani.com and we'll be happy to design a program specially suited to your brand story and your audiences.
09:13 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Its your health. You decide how important that plastic bag is to you.
Most North Americans urinate plastics. Sperm counts are at a historic per capita low. Cancer is an epidemic.
Shouldn’t plastic bags be made to carry this mandatory warning?
There are no safe plastics; all plastics migrate toxins into whatever they contact at all times.
Tax the bags, say Californians Against Waste. And I completely agree. It works. Ireland taxed 'em just 12 cents and usage fell 90% in one year. How's that for effective?
There is a proposal to tax grocery shoppers of San Francisco 17 cents per bag.
Why 17 cents? Because that’s the cost citizens of San Francisco are already paying in general taxes for some of the costs of plastic-bag trash, such as cleaning up the litter and unclogging the waste system.
Northern Californians Against Plastic presented figures to show that if each of the 347,000+ households in San Francisco were to purchase a couple of cotton or canvas bags, over the approximate 10-year life of those bags the total amount saved -- compared to everyone using eight bags each week at 17 cents each -- by consumers would collectively be over $300 million.
And, the bag fee would mean revenue to fund programs for the poor such as free reusable natural-fiber bags. The Chronicle and the Commission on Environment (the San Francisco body putting the bag fee proposal to the Supervisors for an ordinance) have this new information.
You know what? Reusable cloth bags are the only sustainable answer. And they aren't as expensive as you thought. We, at Norquest can make lovely cloth bags available to shoppers at just 99 cents a bag (that’s just the tax they’d pay on 4 bags!). Just look at the reusable cloth bags we have on offer at www.badlani.com/bags/ - see how nice they look and then see how little they cost.
Do you agree? Or am I making too much of this issue?
09:05 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
April 26, 2005
Recycling is a hoax says Californians Against Waste
"Recycling" and future "bioplastics" they say “distract people from keeping plastic out of their lives”.
"Disposal" of plastics is a joke, they say, because we are never rid of the stuff. All the plastic that's ever been produced is still with us today... unless, of course, it has been incinerated which spews a plethora of toxic substances into the air.
Paul Goettlich is the director of Mindfully.org, a nonprofit dedicated to exposing the effects and costs of technology on our bodies and society. The plastics section on Mindfully.org is the most extensive holistic set of documents and scientific data that exists on plastics.
"There are no safe plastics," Goettlich says. "The tendency of environmental organizations is to proclaim what the worst or the best plastics are, so we can go on using them. It is ill conceived and does not address the relevant issues. All plastics migrate toxins into whatever they contact at all times. It does not matter if it is water- or oil-based; hot or cold; solid or liquid," says Goettlich. "The concept of "biodegradable plastic" is at best a ploy by industry meant to divert our focus away from the real problem: single-use containers and packaging.
Time to recognize that use-once-and-throw-away is not a sustainable way of life. Reusable bags are a sensible, attractive and affordable answer. See how little they cost at www.badlani.com/bags/
What's your opinion? Is a switch to reusable bags desirable? Or is it impractical in any way?
12:09 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Paper and plastic don’t cut it. Reusable cloth bags are the only sensible choice.
The best choice isn't paper or plastic, says Wayne Parker in an article in the Pacific Business News.
He adds “When faced with the question of paper vs. plastic bags at the local supermarket, the correct choice, according to environmental officials, is neither of the above. The best environmental choice is to skip a bag altogether, or if one is necessary, shoppers should take their own reusable shopping bags”.
You bet, Wayne!
Plastic bags get used once and then continue to contaminate our planet for 3000 years. Paper bags cause trees to get cut down – also for just one use. Cloth bags make so much more sense.
Each bag gets reused as many as 500 times. And every time they get reused, they are a potential walking billboard for some perceptive company that understands 360 degree branding and understands that consumers respect brands not for what they claim, but for the actions they take.
In short your brand image isn’t determined by what you say or claim, but by what you do. See these powerful branding devices and find out how easy and economical they are at www.badlani.com/bags/shoppingbags.htm
Do you agree? Do you think branding is influenced by such small things? I'd love your opinion
11:55 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Americans are noticing the harm plastic bags are doing
Time was when we all worried about it, the Irish, the Scots, the South Africans, the Australians, us Indians… but the Americans didn’t.
Everyone else’s worrying and all the clean-up action lost meaning because it’s the Americans who consume most of the stuff on earth, and use – and throw away the most plastic bags too.
So, seeing this article in Newsday gave me great joy. That’s one thing I love about the Americans. Once they pick up a cause, they run with it with an energy and intensity that no one else on earth can match. If the Americans cotton on to this cause, we’re home free!
“We are drowning in plastic bags around here. They obviously reproduce exponentially in the closet at night. Take a look at a typical day in our household.
Monday: Pick up a few things at a local farm stand - scallions, lettuce, green beans. That's three plastic bags, but since I have a tote bag I don't need a fourth bag for the other three. "Vanity Fair" arrives in the mail in a plastic casing. My husband comes back from the post office with a ton of mail in a plastic bag. Buy chicken at the supermarket, think about asking for paper but contemplate the chicken juices leaking all over the car, and, whoops, said chicken is in a plastic bag before I get my change. And the morning paper arrived in a plastic bag. Total for the day: seven. Saved: one.
And goes the week. Plasticbagitis is an epidemic sweeping the world, and it's happening right here in my home. This is not a good thing. Spend a few minutes on line and you discover that this plastic-bag epidemic is not only totally terrible for the environment, but completely out of control.
Thousands of turtles, birds and other marine animals are killed every year because they swallow the darn things, mistaking them for squid and jellyfish....
Sad, when solutions exist. Economical and attractive solutions: See the reusable bags at www.badlani.com/bags/
What do you think? Am I being practical here? Or do you believe that there's another solution?
Read the rest of the article here
More...
11:48 Posted in Ecology , Shopping | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
The propensity for plastic continues
They're cheap, easy and everywhere: As many as a trillion plastic bags are used worldwide a year. But would Americans kick their plastic addiction if they had to pay for them?
Alaskans call them "tundra ghosts" and "landfill snowbirds." In China, they're "white pollution." South Africans have sarcastically dubbed them their "national flower." Snagged in treetops in Ireland, they become "witches' knickers."
The bags are not just a blight, but are wasteful, kill wildlife, pollute oceans and may be insinuating toxins into the food chain.
Purchases are bagged almost reflexively.
"When I buy a birthday card, it goes into a plastic bag – I buy one item and it goes into